Method and apparatus for packaging nails and similar articles



Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL v3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS RoR PACKAGING NAILs AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet l Www/w/ @if zfames 52,1072@ 'Jan- 19, 1965 K. w..MAcDoNALD ETAL 3,155,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan- 19, 1965 K. MACDONALD ETAI. 3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jan- 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES 18 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed March 22, 1962 WMdcdOnaZcl Zone www Y @37%.

Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,858

METHOD AND APPARATUS PoR PACKAGING NAILs AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jan. 19, 1965 K.' w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,155,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22. 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jan 19, 19,65 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

METHOD ND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES o M 0 m mw M m MS V IWW W mk mNNMmR w3 SRE Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,858

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet l1 o Y AVAVAVAVAVAYAVAVAVAVAV METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILs AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 18 Sheets-Sheet l2 NNN lan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,155,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGINGl NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

18 Sheets-Sheet 14 Jan. 19, 1965 METHOD AND APPARATUS FoR PACKAGING NAILSAND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 Jan- 19, 1965 K. ww. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 .24? Y /j 21H4 2107 A i L Z/ n ZM ,Y

Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,858

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES 18 Sheets-Shee-zi'.` 16

Filed March 22, 1962 fifi@ effi/7&5'

Jan. 19, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,358

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING NAILS AND SIMLAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 18 Sheets-Sheet 17 Janu/Q, 1965 K. w. MACDONALD ETAL 3,165,868

METHOD AND APPARATUS FoR PACKAGING NAILs AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1962 fa/ Elf/ames' Sforza QQZ/ys United States Patent O This invention relates to high `speed handling and packaging of nails Iand similar articles and more particularly Vis concerned with providing a method and apparatus for packaging nails in single iile, side-by-side relation in a carrier strip to produce a loaded clip for use in machines for driving nails into ooring and other nailable materials.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an automatic machine for inserting nails in closely spaced side-by-side relation in elongated carrier strips.

Another object is to provide a method for handling and orienting nails in relation to elongated carrier strips to facilitate high speed loading of the nails into the strips.

Still another object is to provide a method and apparatus for preparing the carrier strips.

A further object is to provide an arrangement that integrates strip `forming facilities to nail inserting facilities so that additional strips are automatically formed and fed to the inserting facilities as and when this becomes necessary.

By way of example, the invention seeirs to satisfy a minimum production goal of packaging 1,0% nails per minute.V

In this connection it is preferred 4to provide for inserting the nails inthe strips While the strips move continuously. The nails are conveyed in vertically oriented closely spaced relation along a travel path that overlies and converges gradually towards a strip travel path along which the strips are in continuous motion. IJailflow is timed to start up at the 1oeginning of each strip cycle and is interrupted after metering out a proper number of nails for fully loading a clip. The strips are applied to a continuously moving belt in closely spaced lengthwise succession.

In the preferred form illustrated in this disclosure the strips Iare slit `from corrugated board in such fashion that the nail receiving pockets defined by the corrugations are oriented at an oblique angle to the lengthwise direction of the str-ip. The strips are oriented for movement along an angular direc-tion such that the nail receiving grooves er.- tend vertically and this accommodates ready loading of the nails which are also oriented vertically and dl ectly above each groove for being forced downwardly relative to the groove.

Gther objects and yadvantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and'in which like numerals `are employed to designate like parts throughout the same;

FIG. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a loaded nail clip of the type produced in accordance with -this invention, the nails being illustrated asvthreaded type from which multiple panel sections are cut;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a rotating circular cutting knife arrangement for slitting the multiple sections into standard panels;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan View of an arrangement for slitting the panels into carrier strips of proper size for ice direct supply to the strip loading and nail inserting equip ment;

FIG. `5 is a side elevational view of the panel slitting machinery;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the panel slitting-equip- I ment;

FIG. 6A is a diagram of the external drive mechanism for the panel slitting equipment;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic plan View of internal drive mechanism for `the panel slitting equipment of FIGS. 5 and 6;

PIG. 8 is an end View, partially in section, of strip storage and feeding equipment and is taken on the line S- of FIG. l5; n

FIGS. 8A and` 8B are related enlarged fragmentary end sectional views illustrating additional details of the strip storage and feeding equipment Gili-IG.V 8;

FG. 9 -is a reduced fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of FlG. 8A;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken n additional details of construction of the storage and feeding equipment;

FIG. 14 -is a timing chart of the cam operator of the storage and feeding equipment, and FIGS. 14A-14? are successive diagrammatic views of the sequential operation of the strip centering and feeding elements;

FIG. 15 is a generalized side elevational view withparts broken away and sectioned illustrating .a loading machine for-inserting underlayment nails into elongated` carrier strips; Y

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail'plan view illustrating portions of the traveling belt arrangement for conveying the carrier strips, and is taken approximately on the line .1d-i6 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 16A is an enlarged cross-sectional vievv through the traveling belt and is taken on the line 16A-16A of i PIG. 16;

FIG. 17 is `an enlarged detailed -side elevational view of the nail feeding and inserting equipment `of FIG. 15 3 FIG. 18 is an enlarged plan View of the nail feed unit of FIG. l5;

FIG. 19 is an end View of the feed screws of the feed unit and is taken on the line 19-19 of PIG. 1S;

FIG. 2t) is a diagrammatic illustration of a control circuitfor metering the nail ow through the feed unit;

FIG. V21 is a generalized side elevational View of an inserting machine for loading ilooring nails into elongated carrier strips;

FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic plan view of the machine of FIG. 2l, with parts omitted to facilitate disclosure of the drive arrangement;

FIG. 23is an enlarged side elevational View of the nail feed and nail inserting facil-ities of the machine of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary sectional view of the guide plate structure at t-he entrance to the nail feed unit and is taken on the 'line 24-24 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged yfragmentary plan view taken on the line 25-25 of FIG. 23 to illustrate the mounting details of the nail control circuit elements;

FIG. 26 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrat- A ing the nail ilovv control gate;

sareste@ las. is; rees Y' FIG. 27 is an enlarged fragmentary end view with parts lbroken away and sectioned to illustrate the drive pulley and traveling belt ararngement for the machine of FIG. 21;

FIG. 28 is an enlarged side elevational View corresponding to that of FIG. 23 but illustrating a hammer type inserting unit;

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary plan view of the hammer unit and its drive connections with parts broken away and sectioned to facilitate disclosure;

FIG. 30 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 30--30 of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is an enlarged detailed side elevational view of a modified embodiment of nail feeding and inserting equipment, with parts brokenr away and sectioned to facilitate disclosure;

FIG. 32 is a top plan View of the equipment of FiG. 31, with parts broken away and sectioned; and

FIG. 33 is a side elevational view of the equipment of FIGS. 31 and 32.

General Description Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a loaded clip 3G of the type that is to be mass -produced in accordance with the teachings of this invention. This clip is specifically arranged for use in machines for driving nails into fiooring or other nailable materials, but it may also serve as a compact package for handling nails during shipment, storage and sale. The clip is comprised of an elongated carrier strip 31 loaded with a set of nails 32 arranged in essentially parallel, single file relation, and occupying positions staggered slightly on both sides of the central plane of the strip to remain in assembled position therein.

The carrier strip 31 for the clip 39 illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown loaded with threaded typeflooring nails having conical heads. These flooring nails have Shanks large enough to be gripped securely in the pockets of the corrugated board. The strip is shown with a series of indentations 31I which result from its processing through a set of toothed feed wheels to be described hereinafter. These indentations 311 in the strip of FIG. 1 need not serve a nail retaining function.

In the clip 30 illustrated in FIG. 1A, the carrier strip 31 is loaded with underlayment nails having conical heads. The underlayment nails are of small shank diameter and are retained in the strip by means of-pronounced indentations 311 which again are provided by toothed feed` wheels suitably adjusted for Vcreating deeper penetration into the pockets of the carrier strips. These indentations lock the underlayment nails in the stnip of FIG. 1A.

The clip 30 illustrated in FIG. 1B shows a carrier strip loaded with flat head nails and once again indentations 311 are provided in the strip and where necessary are of sufiicient penetration to grip the nail and retain it.

The clips for the fiooring and underlayment nails, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A are useful in automatic nailing equipment. The conical heads on these nails permit them to be driven downwardly through the strip. The clip for the fiat head nails of FIG. 1B is primarily a packaging device to facilitate handling in the shipping, storage and sale of the nails. The invention also contemplates packaging of other elongated fasteners such as screws, paper fasteners and similar articles in carrier strips in the same general fashion as is illustrated in FIG. 1B for fiat head nails. For convenience, the term nail is used throughout the specification and claims, but it shall be understood as embracing similar types of articles such as the particular elongated fasteners enumerated above and any other articles that may be handled in a similar fashion.

The strip 31 is preferably slit from corrugated board and it has closely spaced parallel flutes 31F, each of which forms one complete live wave and defines a pair of oppositely oriented nail receiving pockets or grooves 31G on an angle of 60 with the long edge of the strip.

One preferred strip configuration suitable for use is shown in Sillars application Serial No. 852,560, filed November 12, 1959, the disclosure of which is hereby specifically incorporated herein by reference. The angular relation of the nail receiving pockets relative to the length of the strip is selected at 30 throughout the disclosure. The precise angle, however, is preferably determined in accordance with the teachings of the aforesaid Sillars application in accordance with the size of the fasteners that are to be handled. The dimensions of each strip are 9%" long, 5/s wide and %2" to 3/16 thick and in accordance with their intended use in automatic nailing machines or in direct packaging, itis required that neither the head nor the pointed end of the shank of the end nails extend ybeyond the opposite end edges of the strip. Assuming the corrugated board, from which the strips are formed, to have forty-two utes per foot, each of the foregoing strips may receive fifty nails, and due to the close spacing of the pockets or grooves 31G the nail heads are overlapped or shingled.

In FIG. l5 the general arrangement of a clip loading machine for inserting underlayment nails in elongated carrier strips is shown as comprising strip slitting facilities 100, strip storing and feeding facilities 161, and nail inserting facilities 102. The strips 31 are arranged in lengthwise succession and are continuously advanced uphill in closely spaced single le array beneath a horizontally oriented nail feed unit 1M that is supplied from a downwardly inclined nail raceway 10S. Thus the travel paths of the nails and the strips gradually converge and at this point the nails are loaded downwardly into the strips in closely spaced relation therein, with the inserting facilities 162 thereafter gradually forcing the nails all the way into the strips.

In FIG. 21 the general arrangement of a clip loading machine for inserting flooring nails in elongated carrier strips is shown as including strip storing and feeding facilities 201 essentially like that shown at 101 of FIG. 15 (and while it is omitted in FIG. 21 it also is supplied from a strip slitting device such as is shown at in FIG. 15) and nail inserting facilities 202. The strips 31 are arranged in closely spaced lengthwise succession and are continuously advanced downhill while progressively inserting the nails 32 downwardly into the strips from a horizontally oriented nail feed unit 204 that is fed from a nail raceway 205 that leads downwardly more sharply so as to converge with the travel path of the strips.

In FIG. 15 the underlayment nails are in a forwardly inclined shingled relationship as the strips emerge from the machine, whereas, in FIG. 21, the nails are in a rearwardly inclined shingled relationship. Actually the resultant clips Sti are indistinguishable after they have been removed from the machines and they are both usable in the same general type of nailing machine.

The machine of FIG. 15 is referred to herein as an underlayment nail machine as it was originally developed for this purpose. Correspondingly, the machine of FIG. 21 is referred to as a ooring nail machine as it was originally developed for this purpose. Actually each machine arrangement is adaptable to handling either ooring nails or underlayment nails.

An alternative clip loading machine developed for handling flooring nails is shown in FIG. 31 and embodies features from each of the arrangements of FIGS. 15 and 21.

Strip forming facilities 

21. THE METHOD OF LOADING NAILS INTO AN ELONGATED CARRIER STRIP COMPRISING CONTINUOUSLY CONVEYING THE STRIP ENDWISE ALONG A STRIP TRAVEL PATH, CONCURRENTLY FEEDING NAILS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT, SINGLE FILE, RELATION ALONG A NAIL TRAVEL PATH EXTENDING IN COPLANAR, REGISTERING, CONVERGING RELATION WITH THE STRIP TRAVEL PATH TO PRESENT SUCCESSIVE NAILS IN PENETRATING RELATION TO IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SUCCESSIVE SECTIONS OF A LENGTHWISE EXTENDING ENTRANT EDGE OF THE STRIP, MAINTAINING PREDETERMINED UNIFORM ENDWISE DIRECTIONED ORIENTATION OF NAILS MOVING ALONG THE NAIL TRAVEL PATH, AND CONCURRENTLY PRODUCING GRADUAL NAIL INSERTING FORCES ENDWISE ON A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVE NAIL AS THEY MOVE INTO PENETRATING RELATION INTO THE STRIP TO LOAD THE NAILS GRADUALLY INTO THE STRIP. 